


You Win Some, You Lose Some

by Lirillith



Series: Win Some, Lose Some [1]
Category: Tiger & Bunny
Genre: Christmas, First Kiss, Hospital, Injury, M/M, Mistletoe, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-09-28
Updated: 2011-09-28
Packaged: 2017-10-24 05:24:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/259466
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lirillith/pseuds/Lirillith
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Barnaby visits Kotetsu in the hospital after the final confrontation.</p>
            </blockquote>





	You Win Some, You Lose Some

    When Barnaby returned to the hospital room, he could see immediately that Kotetsu hadn't been lonely while he was away.  A small Christmas tree decorated with plastic icicles and topped with a blue silk rose had joined his own pot of poinsettias on the table by the bed.  Kotetsu had a Santa hat on his head, and as Barnaby settled into the chair, he noticed a sprig of mistletoe taped to the headboard.

    Kotetsu had seemed to be asleep, but he opened his eyes as Barnaby settled into the chair.  "Hey, Bunny."

    "Fresh painkillers?"

    "How could you tell?"  The older man laughed.  "I'm feeling a lot better."

    "Where's Kaede?"

    "She just left.  Went down to get some dinner.  I made her promise to go to the cafeteria and not just get something from a vending machine.  I dunno what to do about her for the next couple of nights, though.  She doesn't want to go back home."

    "Can you blame her?"

    "Guess not." 

    "Whose idea was that?" Barnaby asked, nodding in the direction of the mistletoe.

    Kotetsu must have missed the gesture.  "The hat was Fire Emblem.  Tree was Blue Rose, of course.  The mistletoe was Antonio's idea of a joke."

    "Has it worked?"

    "I think Fire Emblem would have slipped me some tongue if Kaede hadn't been in the room.  Blue Rose kissed me on the forehead, then ran off without saying anything. Then she came back because she took the tree with her.  A couple of the nurses have blown me kisses.  And Kaede kissed me on the cheek.  So.... win some, lose some, I guess."

    Barnaby smiled slightly, but Kotetsu clearly wasn't too fogged with painkillers to notice his preoccupation.  "What's wrong?"

    "You're going back home with Kaede once you're discharged from the hospital, aren't you?"

    "Yeah."  While Barnaby was still deciding what to say next, Kotetsu spoke again.  "Want to come with us?"

    "What?" 

    "Okay, I probably can't offer that without checking with my mom first.  It's her house.  But, you know, Kaede would be thrilled.  And it might do you good.  Kind of a change in scenery.  You've lived in Stern Bild all your life, haven't you?"

    Barnaby nodded, thoughtfully.  "I really couldn't impose.  Not long-term.  Once you're settled, I might come for a visit..."

    "I understand."  Barnaby looked from Kotetsu's battered face to his own clasped hands.  He couldn't think of any reason for Kotetsu to stay in the city.  He had his daughter, and she had her home, and school... relocating her to Stern Bild wouldn't work.  He couldn't visualize himself living in Kotetsu's house, with his family.  He watched Kotetsu's hand reach out and cover his.  "Hey, cheer up," Kotetsu said.

    "I thought you were dead," Barnaby said.  Even in his own ears, he sounded choked up.

    "I know.  But I'm not!  That's good, right?"

    "I thought your last words were going to be about my eyelashes."

    Kotetsu laughed, sounding embarrassed.  "I actually said that, huh?"

    "You did."  Barnaby had come out to Kotetsu months ago.  _I prefer to keep my personal life private,_ he'd explained, _but you're my partner and I wanted you to know._   But he knew about Kotetsu's late wife.  There didn't seem to be much point to telling Kotetsu the rest of it.  And then, every once in a while, Kotetsu would pull something like this - he'd jokingly refer to some joint appearance as a date, or insist on picking up the tab, or talk about making memories together.  All while keeping enough of a distance that Barnaby was never fully sure he'd even earned his trust. 

    "Well... it's true," Kotetsu said.  "Not very cool last words, though. I guess I had the right idea but the wrong line."

    "Huh?"

    "Bad time to tell you, I guess, but waiting for the right time never seems to work.  On anything." 

    Barnaby pushed his glasses up his nose.  If he weren't so crazy about his partner it would be very tempting to smother him with a pillow.  "Please just spit it out, Kotetsu."

    "I've had a crush on you for the longest time."  Barnaby froze, hand still in front of his face.  "I dunno, maybe it should be 'I'm in love with you'?  I mean, it's not like I don't know you or anything," Kotetsu continued.  "I know it's a bad time, with me planning to move and you not wanting to..."

    "How long?" Barnaby managed.  His voice sounded slightly strangled. 

    "I dunno when it started.  Around the time we fought Jake?  Maybe later.  Hmm.  Maybe earlier?"

    Barnaby began, with the ease of long practice, to tune out Kotetsu's continued mutterings as he glanced over his shoulder at the door, and then, very aware of his own hearbeat, leaned over and kissed him.  Kotetsu's lips were warm, if slightly chapped, and his mouth was soft as he kissed back.  Barnaby felt Kotetsu's hand brush his face as he pulled away, and when he opened his eyes, Kotetsu was smiling broadly.  "I knew you'd try to shut me up," Kotetsu said.

    "You're under the mistletoe.  What else am I supposed to do?"

    "I gotta thank Antonio.  But then he'd want to know why.  This could be complicated."

    Barnaby abruptly felt like crying again.  Instead, he flung his arms around his partner.  He was alive, he was breathing, and there was no suit of armor between them this time.  He felt Kotetsu's arms around him, and he closed his eyes and buried his face in Kotetsu's neck.  "Don't worry, Bunny," Kotetsu was saying.  "I'll visit.  You'll visit.  We have phones.  Kaede wants to visit Starland.  And maybe you'll change your mind about staying with us."

    "I know."

    He felt Kotetsu sigh.  "I'm sorry.  I'm in no shape to talk about our future."

    "When you're discharged, you can come to my place for that fried rice I promised you.  We can talk then."  Barnaby released him, sitting back in the chair.  He adjusted the collar of his jacket, removed his glasses and cleaned them.  He took his time on the glasses, because he couldn't think of anything else to fidget with.

    "Sounds like a plan."  Kotetsu was watching him, smiling but obviously concerned.  It was just as well their suits had had masks, Barnaby thought.  Kotetsu's face was such an open book.  Then, as if to prove the point, his face lit up with a smile.  "Kaede!"

    Barnaby froze in horror for a moment, wondering how long she'd been there, but as she approached with her two bottles of soda, she didn't look like she'd just caught a hero she admired kissing her father.  She looked more like a deer caught in the headlights, really.  "I'm sorry I didn't bring you a soda, Barnaby!" she finally blurted.  "I can go get one!" 

    "It's all right," he said, smiling, wondering if it was possible to put her at ease when he couldn't be farther from ease, himself.  "I don't need anything."

    "No, it's really okay!" she insisted. 

    He glanced at Kotetsu, who shrugged, grinning.  Kaede needed a reason to flee the room, Barnaby realized.  She hadn't been expecting to see him here.  "A bottle of water?" he suggested.

    "Okay!"  She dashed out the door. 

    "Bunny," Kotetsu said, and Barnaby looked back at him.  Kotetsu grabbed his hand again.  "Everything's going to be okay," Kotetsu said.  Barnaby could have argued; he had so many reasons to argue.   It wasn't just about things between the two of them.  That was the least of it, really, even if it was a very important small piece of the puzzle.  Instead, he just squeezed his hand. 


End file.
